Tracker-box for mechanical musical instruments.



.No. 856,769. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

W. P 000MB. TRACKER BOX FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 14, 1905. RENEWED APR. 30, 1907.

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TRACKER BOX FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1905. RENEWED APR. 30, 1907.

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No. 856,759. I PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. W. P. COOP-ER. TRAUKER BOX FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1905. RENEWED APR. 30, 1907.

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a F. COOPER. V TRACKER 130x FOB. MEGHAMGAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUEYEM, 1905. RENEWED APR. 30, 1907.

-6 SHEETS-SHEET iv PATENTED JUNE 11, I901 W. P. COOPER. TRACKER BOX FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1905, RENEWED APR. 30, 1907;

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UNITED sTA r -s PATENT orrron.

WILLIAM F. COOPER, OF N ORVVALK, OH] O, ASSIGNOB. OF ONE-HALF TO THE A. B. CHASE 00., OF NORW'ALK, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed June 14, 1905. Renewed April 30, 1907- fl N 371.055.

tracker box of novel form and construction adapted to be applied to a musical instrument, such as a piano, or other similar keyed instrument, provided with means for mecl'ianically playing the same.

The tracker box of a mechanical musical instrument, it is to be understood, is a box or casingwhich contains the roll of perforated paper, and the feeding roll upon which the perforated paper is wound over the tracker bar during the operation of playing the in.

strument, and in carrying my invention into efi'ect, l pivotally connect the tracker box to a suitable support mounted on or in the instruinent to be played, so that when the tracker box is in .the'position which it occupies when. the piano is being played mechanically, it will stand in front of the keys of the instrument, but when the instrument is to be played in the ordinary manner, the tracker box will be swung downwardly on its pivotal supports so as to hang beneath the keyboard, at which last named postion it will offer no obstacle or obstruction to the playing of the instrument in the ordinary man.- ner, and will, in fact, be substantially. COII. cealed by the key-board and out of sight so as not to detract from the appearance of the piano or instrument to which it is attached.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple and novel means for supporting the tracker box in its active, that is, its ele-' vated position, in front of the key-board, and to support the same when in its inactive position under the keyboard.

A. still further object of my invention is to provide novel means for effecting a proper and substantially air tight connection tween the ducts I which lead, from the tracker :bar 1 1. the tracker'box'and which are, of

active or elevated position.

my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which I have illustrated my. improvement, and in the several fig res of which like numerals desig nato corresponding parts: Figure 1, is a perspective view of a mechanical musical instrument of the upright piano type, showing my improved tracker box in its inactive position, that is, when it is swung down beneath the keyboard vf the instrument. Fig. 2, is a similar vieuv, showing the tracker box in its Fig. 3, is a front elevation showing the tracker box on an enlarged scale, and with a portion of the exterior covering thereof removed so as to expose the internal operating parts. Fig. 4 isa top plan view on the same scale as Fig. 3, andshowing in plan view the pivotal con necting devices and the spring catches by which the tracker box is sustained in its ele vated position. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the I x acker box and a portion of the support there-for, the tracker box being shown in its elevated position in full lines and in its lowered position in dotted lines. Fig.6 is a vertical transverse sectional v1ew on the line :r -.r of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on line a;0c of Fig. 6, Fig. 8 is a fwgmentary detail view of a modification. Fig. 9 is fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line yy of Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a plan'view of one of the jointing bars of the :acker box.

The tracker box proper is connected to and sustained in either of its positions by means of two bars designated 1, 1, which are attached at their inner ends to any suitable portion of the instrument casing or any suit able portion. of the mechanical playing appa-- ratus contained within the casing and these :bars extend beneath .the bottom of the keyboard of the instrument, and to the outer end Ion seat/ea of each of the bars 1, is securely boltedor otherwise attached, an ,L-shaped casting '2, these castings being formed with pierced ears '3, through which pass thumb screws 4,

' 7 of the drawing. 1

Screws 7, extendthrough the outer arms of the L-shaped castings 2, and screw into the cross bar 5, and this cross bar forms the stationary terminal of the tubes or ducts which leadto the pneumatic actionof the instrument, and it will, for the sake of brevity and clearness 111' the description, be liereinaiter termed the outer jointing bar.

' each of the castings 2, while another portion A strong curved spring 8, is attached by a screw 9, to each of the castings 2, and the tension of this spring is regulated by a screw, 10, that'passes through the inner end of the spring and screws into the easting2. The outer end of each of the springs S terminates in. a triangular header block 11, that engages a similarly shaped latch. block 12, that is at taclied by screws 13, 13, to the bracket 1-1 that supports the tracker box.

The brackets let, 14, of which ther are two; one at each end of the tracker box, or adj acent each end, are of peculiar formfbut may be said-to be, generally speaking, of L Shape,

one leg of each bracket being, when t. e tracker box is in its elevated position, horizontally alined with the bottom of the keyboard of the instrument, and the other leg of the bracket being at the same asition of parts, in substantially vertical position. The inner ends of the horizontal legs of the brackets spread somewhat so as to fQlH'l a broad bearing surface as illustrated in Fig. i and a portion of each bracket extends in J r thereof extends'outwardly and provides a seat for the latch block 12. The extreme inner ends of the brackets ".14, are flattened and pierced for thepassage of bolts-15 by means of which the bracketsare pivotally alt-- tached to downwardly extending lugs 16, formed on the c asti-ngs 2-.

A cross bar 17", extends beneath the outer jointing bar 5, and-is suitablyconnected to each of the brackets 1 4, and this bar, which Will befherein'after called" the lower join ting bar, is formed with a series ol.ports-.18,tliat' are disposed side by side and'in horieontal plane and which have upwardly extending branches 19,, that are disposed in staggered relation and that meet and register with, rerticel branches 20,055 horizontally disposed ports 21 inthe outer jointing have. -Curved tubes 2 of lead, rubber, other suitable'material connect the movable jointing bar 17 with. the tracker 23, that is mounted in the tracker box and silnilar tubes 22 connect the outer jointing bar 5, with an inner jointing bar (not shown) that is in turn connected by suitable tubes or ducts with the pneumatics of i the instrument.

The exterior configuration of the tracker box may be varied to suit the taste of the manufacturer or to conform to the particular style or type'of the instrument to which the tracker box is to be applied, but I have shown this exterior casing of such shape as will conform as closely as possible to the assembled mechanism that is to be contained therein.

- The tracker boxframing is composed of the ends or-heads 24, 25, and the intermedidiate sectionor partition 26, which conforms 111 shape to the head 25 and is arranged ad a cent thereto, as shown in Fig. 3, suificicnt space, however being left between the partition 26 and the head 25 for the reception of certain operating mechanism that will be presently described. L

An exterior panel 27, of wood or metal ,is provided and this panel, together with an exterior paneling 28 of celluloid or other suit- 1 able transparent material constitute the external covermgor casing of the tracker box,

and internal panels 29, curved to correspond to the contour of the brackets 14, are also provided, these latter panels. serving to segregate the paper roll and paper feeding roll from the ducts oi tubes 22.

The paper roll is preferably located near the top of the tracker box and is designated 30, and this roll is provided with a stub shaft 31, at each. end, the stub shaft at one end socketing in a bearing 32, carried on the in nor end. of a spring 33, that is mounted on the inner side of the head 24, while the stub shaft at ihe other end seats in a clutch shaft 34- journaled in a bearing 34, that is mounted in the partition 26-,

The head 24;, and the partition 26 are connected respectively to the brackets 14, 14, and the brackets therefore constitute the connection between the tracker box and the stationary sup 'iorting means carried by the piano, and includingthe bars 1, 1-, and castings 2, 2, and as the brackets are preferably.

arrangedon the inside ol thebead 24 and the. Iins'ideof the partition 26, the spring 33, and

the' bearing Sateen,- if desired, be attached to the brackets instead of the head 24, and

the partitidn 26, as hereinbefore .t-lesc-ribed.

The take-up or feed "roll of the tracker box, designated 35, is preferably" d sposed below andii'i substantially Vertical slinement with thepaper roll 30, and this roll, 35,,is provided with a stub shaft 36, at each end, the said stub shafts turning respecively in a bearing .11, carried by a spring and a bean,

ing 39, carried on the end of a screw 40, the spring 38 being attached to the head 24 and the srrew 40 working in a screw threaded hole in the partition 26.

fhe stub shaft adjacent to the screw 40 carries a gear wheel 41 and this gear wheel meshes, during the normal operation of the tracker box mechanism, with a pinion 42, that is mounted on the inner end of a longitudinally movableshaft 43, that turns and slides in bearings in the partition 26 and the head 25 The shaft 43 has rigidly mounted upon it, a small sprocket wheel 44 that carries on its inner side a clutch member 45, which, at a certain position of the sprocket wheel 44, meshes with a clutch member 46, carried by a larger sprocket wheel 47 that is loosely mounted on a shaft 43.

A chain 48 passes around the small sprocket wheel 44, and after passing under two idlers 49, 50, that are arranged near the lower edge of the trackerbox, extends rearwardly into the instrument, and passes around a sprocket wheel, -(not shown) that receives motion from the motor mechanism of the instrument, No description of the motor mechanism. of the instrument need be herein given, as such mechanism is well known, and forms no part of my present invention.

The clutch shaft 34 extends through the partition 26 and its outer end is journaled in a bearing 49 carried by the head 25, and upon the shaft 34, is fixed a small sprocket Wheel 50, that receives motion from the sprocket wheel 47 when the clutch member 46 is engaged by the clutch member 45 through the medium of a-chain 51.

The clutch member, 45 that is carried by the small sprocket Wheel 44, is formed with a groove 45" that is embraced by the bifurcated end of a lever 51 whichis pivoted at 52 and which has a curved projecting end 53, that extends somewhat beyond the end of the tracker box, and is enga ed by a lug 54, that is carried by a pivoted ever 55, that is entitled the tempo lever, and by the movement of which the tempo of the composilion being played is regulated, and which lever also-serves as a means whereby the movement of the paper roll and the take-up roll can be reversed so as to unwind the paper from the take-up roll and upon the paper roll when ;it is desired to return the paperto the paper roll after a composition has been played on the instrument. A flat bar 56, extends outwardly from the end of the tracker box and the outerend of the lever 55, is bent upwardly and slightly over the bar 56 and terminates in a pointer 57 by means of which pointer and certain musical terms which are printed, impressed, or otherwise prodiiced upon the top ofthe bar 56, serve as an index to indicate the tempo of the'composition being played, it being understood that the position of the finger relative to the particular word on the bar shows the position of the lever 55 that is required to secure-the desired tempo.

Near the inner end of the bar 56 the word re-wind appears, this word indicating that when the pointer 57 is opposite this point the paper will be rewound upon the paper roll and such rewinding is accomplished in the following manner. When it is desired to rewind the paper on the paper roll 30, the lever 55 is moved toward the end of the tractor box until the pointer 57 is opposite the word re-wind. This movement of the lever 55 will bring the lug 54 into contact with the curved end 53, of the lever 51, and move this lever so as to cause the small sprocket wheel 44, and the clutch member 45, to be moved to the left, this movement bringing the clutol' member 45 into engagement with the clutch member 46 carried by sprocket wheel 47. As the small sprocket wheel 44 and the clutch member 45 are fixed on the shaft 43, the lat eral movement of the sprocket wheel and clutch member above described will move the shaft'43 to the left, in the direction of its length, and this movement will throw the small pinion 42 out of mesh with the gear wheel 41 on the end of the take-upor feed roll 35. When the small sprocket wheel 44 has been moved as described and the clutch members 45 and 46 brought into mesh with one another, the sprocket wheel 47 will be caused to revolve in unison with the small sprocket wheel 44, and. the sprocket wheel 50 will be revolved in the same direction as the sprocket wheel 47 through the medium of the chain 51 and positive motion willbe thus imparted from the motor mechanism through the chain. 48 and the intermediate mechanism above described to the paper roll 30, and the paper will, by this means, be rewound upon the paper roll, the take-up roll turning freely by reason of the disengagement of the These expression levers are three in number,

one of them being connected to and operating the sustaining devices of the instrument being played, while the other two govern and regulate, respectively, the volume of toneof the bass and treble portions of the instrument. The first mentioned lever is designated 59, and is pivoted at 60 to the arm'58 and to the inner end of the lever is pivotally at'ached at 61 a rod 62, which is suitably connected to the operating devices consti- -ment being mechanically..operated.

tuting the sustaining mechanism of the instrucent to the lever 59,,is located a lever 63 that is pivoted at 64 to the arm, 58 and that is pivotally attached at 65 to a rod, 66, that in turn is connected to the expression devices of the instrument. A third lever 67, is pivoted at 68 to the arm 58, and is pivotally connected at 69 to a rod 70, leading to the expression devices of the bass portion of the scale of the instrument 'being'played, the" rod 66 of the lever 63 leading to the expression devices of the treble portion of the scale of the instru ment. The pivotal connections 61,65 and- 69 are in alinement with one another and are all' in alinement with the pivot bolts 15, and

63 and 67, to be turned down to a vertical -to its inactive position below the key-board. of the instrument.

the lever 55 is provided with a hinge 71 ,which is also in alinement' with the pivot bolts 15,

this arrangement-of parts being designed for the purpose of allowing the four levers 55, 59,

position when the tracker box is swung down The particular mechanism by means of which the tempo and the expression of the in- L'strument being played are regulated, forms no part of my present inventionexcept insofar as the construction and location of the levers and rods above described and shown are involved, as the particular mechanisms by means of which the tempo and expression of the composition are governed and regulated, form the subjects matter of other applications for patents filed by me and of even date herewith.

The operation of the devices above described is as folloWs :The tracker box being in its normal or'elevated, position, and motion being communicated to the chain 48 by the motor mechanism of the instrument, the take-up roll 35 will be revolved in the direction ofthe arrow A and will draw the perforated sheet of aper B over the tracker bar 23. The speed at which the paper is fed across the tracker bar is regulated by the movement of the lever to one'or the other of the oints on the bar 56 which are indicated" y the characters designating the tempo of the movement or time of the composition being played. During the playing of the composition the levers 59, 63 and 67 are manipulated either simultaneously or successively-or in any desired order, so as to give the proper expression,required by the particular composition being played. When i the ,compositionhas been played to the end,

or at any time when it may be desired to repeat the playing of the composition or any part thereof, the lever 55 is moved toward the end of the'tracker boxuntil the'pointer 57 is opposite the word re-wind. At this position of parts, as hereinbefore described, the take-up roll.35 is disengaged from the driving mechanism and the paper roll en- Adj a- 4 pivotal connection.

gaged therewith, and the paper will therefore be wound up upon the paper roll by the con tinuous action of the mo'lo'r mechanism 'of the instrument. It may be stated incide'n tally, that during the rewinding of the paper on the paper roll, the parts which produce the operation of the action of the instrument are put in passive condition by the move ment of the lever 55, but as the devices for accomplishing this result lo'rm no part of my resent invention, I will not attempt to erein describe the same.

At any time when it is desired to play upon the keyed instrument to which the tracker box is applied, and to dispense with the mechanical playing devices, the tracker box is swung in the are of a circle below the keyboard of the instrument to the position shown in Fig. 1,. and in dotted lines in Fig. 5" of the drawings, this change of position in the tracker box being eil'ected simply by pressing downwardly on the same so as to cause the latch blocks 12 to be disengaged from the heads 11 of the springs 8, whereupon the tracker box will swing upon the pivot bolts 15 to assume the position shown in the above named figures of the drawings. When the tracker box has reached the proper position it is held by means of'a spring catch 71 on one or both of the supportingebars, which engages a pin 72,011 bracket 14. A reverse movement of the tracker box will bring it again to the position shown in Fig. 2, and

F 1g. 5, the latch blocks 12 again engaging the heads 11 of=the springs 8 as the tracker box 18 moved upwardly.

IOC

While the arrangement of the paper roll and the take-up roll relatively to one another and the tracker bar which I have shown in the drawings and herein'desclibed is that which I prefer, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains, that the relative arrangement of these parts, as well as of the arrangement'of the mechanism by which the paper roll and the take-up roll are driven, may be altered without i 1'; any way departing from the spirit of my invention.

- In Fig. 8 ol the drawing 1 have shown in a modified form the means by which the tracker box is attached to the musical instrument, the purpose of the constructionshown in this figure being to permit of the tracker box being not only hinged. so as to be swung around under the key.board, hereinbel 'ore described, but also to permit of its being swung down and then detached from its pivotal support and entirely removed from connection with the instrument. This is accomplished by providing each of the brackets with a hook 15 by means of which it is hooked onto the screw that forms the By reason of this construction the tracker box may, if desired, be swung downwardly and then unhooked from box is remove-r its pivotai supports and entir Iy remo ed, the drive chain and other connected j rts being, of cour detached when the tracker i this manner, Having desc .oed my invention, i claim 1.. In apparz sot the character desc. ibe the combination of a suitable support an ranged beneath the keyboard of an instru ment and spring latchescarried by said sup port, of a tracker box having bracket located adjacent each end, said brackets being pivotally attached to said support at a point within the outer edge of the keyboard, latch blocks carried by said brackets and adapted to engage said spring latches, an arm extendmg from one end of the tracker box, a tempo lever arranged ad acent to said arm and lunged 1n ahnement with the pivotal supports of the said brackets, an arm extending from the other end of the tracker box, plurality oi levers pivotally attached to said. last named arm, and a rod pivotally a: a'ched to each of said last named levers, said last named rods being adapted to be connected to the expression producing mechanism of mechanical musical instrument operating devices.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of sui' le support adapted to be secured in position beneath the keyboard of a keyed instrument, a jointing bar, carried by said support, ducts leading from said jointing bar, a tracker box pivotaly attached to said support, movable jointing bar carried by said tracker box, ducts leading from said movable jointing bar to said tracker box, means for sustaining said tracker box in such position relativeiy to said support that said jointing bars will be in con"- tact with one another.

3. In an apparatus of the character. described, the combination of a jointing bar, means for supporting said jointing bar, ducts i adin from said jointing bar, a tracker box pivota ly supported on said means, a jointing oarcarried by the tracker box, ducts lea; f om said he 11 an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a suitable support and ducts attached to the support, of a movable tracker box connected to said support and ducts carried by the tracker box and a lapted at one position of the tracker box to register with the ducts which are at tached to the support.

5. in an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a suitable support adapted to be attached to a musical instrument, across-bar carried by said support, ducts leading into said cross-bar, of a removable tracker box pivotally connected to said support, cross bar carried by the tracker box, ducts leading from said crossbar to said tracker box and adapted at one positionoi the tracker box'to register with the ducts which are attached to the support.

6. in apparatus of the characterdescribed the combination with a suitable support, adapted to be attached to a musical instrument, a tracker box detachably connected to said support andmovable relative thereto and means carried by the support and the tracker box for sustaining the tracker box in different positions While connected to the support, ducts carried by the tracker box ducts carried by the support and adapt to register with the ducts carried by the tracker box at one position of the latter.

.7. in an apparatus of the-character de- 'scribed, the combination with a musical instrument and suitable support arranged below the key-board, of the musical instrument, of a playing attachment arranged Within the case of said instrument, and a tracker box pivotally connected to said supi Wniiinuvi F. COOPER.

dos. CoivnoLLY, n. L. Uown. 

